Letter from Superintendent highlights important items as District kicks off 2021-2022 school year
Communication addresses bussing, school meals, masking in school, and COVID/ESSER survey requests
Launch the media gallery 1 playerJuly 23, 2021
Wahoo Families,
I hope you have found time to unplug and enjoy your summers after a trying, but successful 2020-21 school year. As summer is rapidly coming to an end, I wanted to provide a communication about a few items for the 2021-22 school year.
1. Bussing - The district will return to in-town bus routes along with our out-of-town routes in the 2021-22 school year. Because of the pandemic and protocols necessary, those routes were impacted last year, but we will be returning to routes similar to those driven during the 2019-20 school year. Please reach out your individual school regarding the need for transportation. Our new director of transportation, Rob Christian, will be working to develop and finalize routes as we get closer to the start of the school year for students. (LINK: 2021-2022 WPS Bus Stops)
2. School Meals - As was the case last year, the USDA has approved Wahoo Public Schools to serve meals at no charge to enrolled students, regardless of standing with free/reduced meal applications. You are still strongly encouraged to complete those forms as they are important data points for the USDA going forward and directly impact the federal Title I funding we receive on a yearly basis. However, regardless of status, every enrolled student is eligible for meals at no cost for the duration of the 2021-22 school year. (LINK: 2021-2022 WPS Free/Reduced Lunch Info. & Application)
3. We have developed a return to learn plan for the 2021-22 school year. In summary, we will be as close to what we considered normal since the pandemic began. The district intends to honor “mask-choice” for students and staff in our buildings to start the school year. As a district, we are maintaining our practice of following directed health measures (DHMs) from the state and there are not any active directives at this time. Personal hygiene and social distancing will continue to be encouraged, and masks are another non-pharmaceutical option for individuals to consider. While the return to learn plan looks similar to last year, many of the requirements that were in place have been changed to possibilities. This allows flexibility should conditions alter or DHMs be released from the state level. (LINK: 2021-2022 WPS Return to Learn Plan)
4. Finally, the district is asking for feedback on the return to learn plan and the intentions for ARP ESSER III federal funds. On the district website homepage, click on the “District” tab, then “COVID/ESSER,” to access the return to learn plan and associated surveys. (DIRECT SURVEY LINKS: Return to Learn Survey, ESSER Plan Survey)
Thank you for your patience, support, and interaction over the past year regarding the education of your student(s). It is important to have parents constructively engaged in the education process for the growth of students. If you should ever have questions, please reach out to myself or your building principal. Enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to a great start to the 2021-22 school year. Go Warriors!
Sincerely,
Brandon Lavaley, Superintendent
Wahoo Public Schools